India believes more in forging partnerships than making alliances with other nations as one has to sail with the collective decision in an alliance irrespective of one’s liking and disliking unlike partnerships, former Indian Ambassador to Armenia, Achal Kumar Malhotra said here on Monday.
He was addressing the faculty, research scholars and students at a guest lecture on ‘India’s Foreign Policy: Current Priorities and Relevance of SAARC’ organised by the UGC Centre for SAARC Studies, in collaboration with the Departments of Economics, Social Work and Commerce and Management of Andhra University.
The guest lecture programme was organised as part of the ‘Distinguished Lecture Series’ introduced by the Union Ministry of External Affairs.
Giving a brief account of the fundamental objectives of Indian’s foreign policy, he said non-interference was the cardinal principle of Indian diplomacy.
At the same time there were interventions on the part of India when there was an appeal from global stakeholders such as the United Nations.
Strategic autonomy
“India has never been an aggressor, but a believer of dialogues. Cautious and measured responses such as surgical strikes follow if required. India has always believed in strategic autonomy by balancing its relations with the U.S. and Russia,” he said while elaborating on various facets of diplomacy such as political, economic and cultural.
He also discussed India’s policy towards China and the SAARC. “The SAARC is still relevant despite the Indo-Pak conflict,” Mr. Malhotra asserted.
Presiding over the programme, Andhra University Vice-Chancellor G. Nageswara Rao explained about the backdrop in which the lecture was being organised.
Principal of College of Arts and Commerce K. Rama Mohana Rao stressed on the importance of foreign policy of a country. Honorary Director of UGC Centre for SAARC Studies M. Prasada Rao said that research was being undertaken at the Centre for SAARC Studies with a special focus on the South Asia. Students and research scholars participated in a question-answer session organised after the lecture.
